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At a webinar hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo, two independent retailers discussed using AI to automate everyday tasks and streamline operations. They said the tools can free up staff time and improve checkout, though the report does not provide quantified productivity or sales results.
Two independent home-improvement retailers described how Rundoo’s AI assistant is helping them automate routine tasks and streamline operations, in a webinar hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo. The retailers said the tools can free up time for employee and customer support, an operational advantage for businesses competing with large chains.
Bradley Strayer, president of Ashmore Paint, joined Jason and Tilenna Hill, owners of B-Town Plumbing and Electrical Supply, for the discussion with Rundoo CEO Nick Hershey. They outlined ways they use the company’s AI assistant in their businesses. The report identifies automation of everyday tasks, more streamlined operations and support for business decisions as areas discussed, but does not list specific workflows beyond checkout and routine administrative work.
Strayer said Rundoo lets his store serve customers more quickly at checkout than its previous point-of-sale system. He framed this as a competitive benefit, even if the improvement may appear small on its own. He also contrasted buying groups, which help independents obtain merchandise at competitive prices, with Rundoo’s role in helping them sell more competitively.
The Hills said AI and Rundoo take mundane, time-consuming tasks off their plates, giving them more time to support employees. Their account links the technology to customer service indirectly: staff with more time for support may be better positioned to assist customers. The source report does not give figures for time saved, transaction speed, costs or changes in sales.
How Routine Automation Could Aid Independents
Independent retailers often compete with large chains that have substantial technology resources. The retailers’ accounts point to a practical way software may help smaller businesses: reduce friction in routine work and checkout so staff can devote more attention to customers. Strayer described faster checkout as a benefit against his store’s prior system, while the Hills emphasized having more time to support their employees.
Those are reported experiences, not measured industrywide results. The article offers no comparative data showing how Rundoo performs against other systems or how much labor, time or revenue the retailers gained. Still, the examples show why independent businesses may evaluate AI not only as a back-office tool but also as part of their service and retail technology strategy.
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Retailers’ Move Beyond Big-Box Comparisons
The webinar addressed technology in the independent home-improvement channel, where retailers seek to improve productivity while competing with big-box stores. The report says technology can help independents complete operational tasks more efficiently and differentiate their businesses, but it does not claim that AI alone closes the gap between small retailers and national chains.
Hershey encouraged retailers to test AI across different business workflows, arguing that it could handle nonservice tasks and leave people more time to help customers. His comments reflect Rundoo’s perspective as the technology provider. The examples in the webinar came from two retailers using Rundoo, rather than a broader survey or independent assessment.
“We encourage retailers to ‘Try AI first’”
— Nick Hershey, Rundoo CEO
Performance Gains Remain Unquantified
The report does not specify which tasks the AI assistant automates at each retailer, how the system makes or supports business decisions, or what safeguards and staff review are used. It also gives no quantified results for checkout times, hours saved, operating costs, customer satisfaction or sales. The retailers’ comments are their own accounts, and the source provides no independent comparison with other software or retailers that do not use AI.
It is also unclear how widely the tools are in use across the independent channel, what they cost, or whether the reported benefits carry over to businesses with different staffing, inventory and customer-service needs. The webinar discussion offers examples, not evidence of a typical outcome.
Further Retailer Examples Could Clarify Results
The source report directs readers to the full webinar conversation for more detail on how the retailers use AI in their operations. Further information about particular workflows, implementation costs and measured results would help retailers judge whether similar tools fit their businesses. No additional rollout, product change or follow-up date was announced in the report.
For now, the next step for readers seeking evidence is to review the full discussion and distinguish the retailers’ experiences from broader claims about AI’s potential. More data across businesses and over time would be needed to establish how consistently these tools improve productivity or customer service.
Key Questions
Which retailers discussed using AI?
Ashmore Paint president Bradley Strayer and B-Town Plumbing and Electrical Supply co-owners Jason and Tilenna Hill spoke in the webinar.
What AI system did they discuss?
They discussed Rundoo’s AI assistant, which the report says is being used to automate everyday tasks and streamline operations.
What benefits did the retailers describe?
Strayer said checkout service was faster than with the store’s previous point-of-sale system. The Hills said routine work takes less time, leaving them more time to support employees. The report provides no numerical results.
Does the report show that AI increased sales or reduced costs?
No. It includes retailer accounts of operational benefits but gives no sales, cost, labor-time or productivity measurements.
Where can readers find more information?
The report points readers to the full webinar conversation for further details about the retailers’ use of AI.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
